Seat controlling mechanism



Marc}! 15, 1933- LE GRAND 5. WHEDON ET AL 9 SEAT CONTBOLLING MECHANISM Fild Nov. 20, 1934 ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 15, 1938 PATENT OFFICE 2.111.519 son comoumo MECHANISM Le Grand Medina, mente, to said Whedon s. Whedon and Albert A. Gflnnfl, N. Y.,' assignats, by mesne assim- Application Novembr 20, 1934, Serial No. 753,966

3 Claims. (Cl. 155-14) This invention relates to adjustable seats for use in vehicles, or for other purposes. and it has particular relation to an improved controliing and operating mechanism for a seat structure .Wherein seat supporting members, seat back and seat bottom can be relatively moved to conform readily to the position desired of persons having various heights, weights, or other characteristics that might require speciai seating arrangement.

The invention is concerned with improved controlling devices adapted to be incorporated in an adjustable seat structure, such as that described generally in the application of Albert A. Grinnell, Serial No. 694,815, filed October 23, 1933, wherein an occupant while seated may adjust the elements of the seating structure to provide comfortable upright seating posture for the back, or the seat may be so adjusted that the seat bottom is moved, as to its angular relation to the horizontal, in order to mise and lower portions thereof in conformity with the desires or physical characteristics of various types of persons, or the seat bottom may be moved bodily to various horizontal positions forwardly and rearward- 5 ly, while portions of the seat back can be adjusted forwarded and rearwardly at will, in addition to following in part the movement of the seat bottom.

One of the principal features of the invention 30 is exemplified in the structure of a controlling mechanism that is incorporated in a seat raising or lifting device, and that looks or unlocks the seat structure in any of a series et positions while the weight of the operator does not interfere 35 with simple and easy operation of the locking mechanism, whereas in other constructions of locking devises such weight might cause binding of parts or undesirable strain upon the strength of the operator.

'40 An equalizing structure is included in the seat lifting device and resilient elements are provided which assist the operator in assuming the position desired. Especially in motor vehicles, the operator can pull or push slightly upon the steer- 45 ing wheel to operate the adjusting mechanism to the desired adjusted position by movements of the operators body.

Another important characteristic of the invention lies in the provision of an eflicient adjust- 50 ing mechanism for seat structure wherein the seat retains a substantially even contour and without unsightly operating handles that are inconvenient to operate as well as requiring con- .siderable space. In the present invention only a la short cam lever that can be operated by the flngeis is necessary for the complete control of the locking and uniocking mechanism.

In the drawi'ng:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a seat structure with parts broken away to expose the operating 5 elements included in the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a plan 01 controlling and lifting device of the seat structure.

In practicing the invention, a seat structure i0 is installed upon a suitable support 12 which .i0 can be in the form of a vehicle floor, or the like, and includes separatel assembled seat back l5 and seat bottom l6 supported uporia seat lifting device il which is frame-like in structure and carries the seat bottom thereon.

A suitable base l8 constituting the lower portion of the seat bottom has a rear extension l9 for receiving the lower portion of the seat back which rests thereon under its own weight thereon, and such extension is provided With a bracket 20 extending upwardly along the lower sides of the seat back. The upper portion of the bracket has an angular arm 22 horizontally disposed and provided Witlia finger 23 for guiding and positioning the lower portion of the seat back, It is, of course, to be understood that the structure of the bracket 20 is duplicated on opposite sides of the seat structure.

A pivotal connection 25 at the upper portion of each bracket 20 is provided for pivotally supporting the upper end of a normally upright arm 26 of a transverse rocker 21 rotatably mounted in a bearing bracket 24 upon the rear portion of an upperbar 28 of the frame. The front portion of the bar is provided with an upwardly turned and rounded bearing element 29 upon Which the front end portion of the seat bottom is siidably supported. Thus the rear portion of the seat bottom is suspended in swinging relation from the pivotal contiection 25 upon the rocker while the front portion of the seat bottom rides slidably upon the bearing 29. The frame bars 28 are rigidly attached at their opposite ends to a shell 30 by means of a transverse rod 32 at the front of the bars and by means of suitable bolts 33 at the rear of the bars. The shell conforms generally to the shape of the seat structure and partially embraces the seat back and seat bottom therein.

An angle rack bar 35 having notches 36 along its lower edge is secured to the lower portion of the seat bottom, and a. latch 31 having an integral angular finger 38 atone end thereof is pivotally mounted, as indicated at 39, upon the adjacent bar 28. An actuating rod 40 slidably mounted in a plate 42 that is rigidly carried upon an upper edge portion 43 of the shell 30 has its lower end formed into an angular flnger 44 and 1 pivoted to the latch 31, whereas, its upper end is provided with a manually operable knob 48 for controlling the position of the seat bottom by adjustment of the latch in the desired notch 38. Since the lowerportion of the seat back is positioned by the portions 22 and 23 of the brackets 20 upon the rear portion of the seat bottom, it is;apparent that the lower portion of the back follows the movement of the seat bottom upon the arms 28 and bearing 29.

In order'to provide additional adjustment of the seat backwith respect to the shell 38, as well as to the seat bottom, a pivotal connection 41 carried by the upper portion of the shell supports one end of a pivotal arcuate arm 48 that is provided with a series of ratchet like teeth 49. These teeth are adapted to engage a cooperating transverse boit 58 mounted in the upper portion of the seat'back, thus providing for adjustment of the seat back toward and away from the shell and perrnitting upward and downwardmovement thereof according to the relative adjustment of the seat bottom.

Suitable bearing plates 52 and 53 are secured to the lower surface of each frame bar 28, and cooperating bearing plates 55 and 56 are secured to the upper surface of a lower parallel supporting bar 51 the forward end of which is provided, in conjunction with the plates 55, with pivotal connections 58 to the fluor l2 of the Vehicle. The

entire seat structure can be tilted upwardly and forwardly about the connections 58. These bearing plates 55 and 58 carry a front rocker 58 and a rear rocker 61 that have front and rear rocker arms 63 and 85, respectively, formed integrally therewith fr pivotally supporting the frame bars 28 in their bearing plates 52 and 53, and hence, support the seat structure. It will be observed that the outer end portions of the rocker arms 63 and 65 are bent at right angles and are carried in the bearing plates 52 and 53, respectively, and that the transverse body or axial portions of the rockers are carried in the bearing plates 55 and 58 respectively. Thus, the arms 63 and 85 operate in parallelsm from the position shown in Fig. 1 to an upright position for raising the seat structure to various levels above the fioor i2. 7

At one side 'of the seat bottom, the forward rocker arm 63 is provided With an integral angular extension 88 projecting upwardly from the lower or horizontal position of the arm, as shown in Fig. 1, and the outer portion of the arm is provided with a pivotal connection 81 to which one end of a link 68 is pivotally secured. The other end of the link likewise has a pivotal connection 68 for securing it to an intermediate portion of an angular integral extension 18 of the rear rocker arm 55. It will be observedthat the integral extensions 68 and 10 of the respective rocker arms project in the same general direction although they are not necessarily parallel and that the rear extension 10 is longer than the forward extension 66.

A plurality of springs 12, each having its forward end connected intermediately of the extension 88 to a mg 13 thereon, and having its other end connecteto a plate 15 pivotally secured, as indicated at 16, to the upper or outer end of the extension 18, exert a predetermined lifting force tending to raise the an ns 63 and 85 toward an upright position. As these arms approach this upright position the lifting or raising force 15 gradually decreased because the pivotal axes about which the arms 83 and 65 turn are located in the rocker bearing plates 55 and 58, and the distance from the lus 13 or forward ends of the springs to the bearing axis 01 the rocker 68 in the front plate 55 is less than the distance from the pivotal. connection 16 or rear ends of the springs to the bearing axis of the rocker 62 in the rear plate 56. 'Ihus the opposite ends of the springs approach each other and lessen the spring tension as the rocker arms approach an upright position. 11: is, of course, to be understood that these springs are normally under tension.

A control mechanism 88 for the lifting structure includes a forward bar 82 having its forward end pivotal]y connected, as indicated ai; 83, to a lug 85 that is formed upon the forward rocker ad- Jacent the junction of the rocker arm 63 and the angular extension 86 thereof. A plurality of notches 88 are formed upon the upper edge portion of the bar 82 toward the end thereof opposite the pivotal connection 83, and this end 15 slidable in the forward end portion of a channeled bar 81, the channel 88 thereof opening upwardly. The rear end of the channeled bar is carried upon the pivotal connection 89 at the intermediate portion of the rear angular extension 10. A pair of cars 90 formed adjacent the forward end of the channeled bar 82 are provided with a pin 8! rigidly secured transversely across the upper portion of the channel. The distance from .he pin to the bottom of the channel is such that the bar 82 eau slide freely in the channel when the two bars 82 and 81 are substantially alined,longitudinaily. It will be observed that a portion of the channeled bar 81 extends along the cooperating bar beyond the location of the pin 91.

A strap 92 is provided upon the end portion of the bar 82 and projects from the channel 88 into embracing relation about the .outer and lower sides of the channeled bar 81 to insure and maintain proper assembled relation of the adjacent end portions et the bars 82 and 81, but without intertering With the relative slidable relation thereof when the bars are longitudinally alined. A spring 93having one end secured to the link 88 extends toward the channeled bar and bears under tension upon a lug or projection 95 provided rigidly upon the side of the bar 81. This spring tends to pivot or move the adjacent ends of the bars downwardly and to maintain the bars in angular relation with the pin 9l anchored or locked in one of the notches 88.

An actuating rod 88 for operating the control mechanism is slidable in a plate 91 that is secured rigidly to the wall of the shell 38 adjacent the side of the seat bottom and its lower end is provided with an angular finger 88 extending beneath the channeled bar.81. The upper end of the rod is provided with a cam lever 99 having an intermediate pivotal connection l88 thereto and an end cam portion l82 that is slidable in camming action upon the upper edge of the plate 81. By manually pivoting the lever in the direction of the arrow I3, shown in Fig. 1, the rod 98 is drawn outwardly and the bars 82 and 81 are moved into substantial longitudinal alimement between the pivotal connections 83 and 89. In this position of the device the pin 8l is released from the notched end of the bar which is then slidable in the channel without interference from the pin.

Since it is apparent that the distance from the connection 83 to the rocking axis of the forthan the distance from-the connection 89 to the rocking axis of the rear rocker 62 in the bearing plate 56, the movement of the rocker arms 83 ..nd 65 toward upright positions will cause the pivotal connections 83 and 69 to move nearer each other. After the seat structure has been moved to a desired position of adjustment upon the rockers the lever 99 is actuated to its original position as shown in Fig. 1, and the inter-sliflable ends of the bars 82 and 8! assume an angular relationunder the pressure of the spring 93. Then the pin will immediately look in one of the notches of the bar 92.

In adjusting the seat structure upon the rocker arms 63 and 65 from the position shown in Fig. l, it is only necessary for the operator to draw his body forwar'dly either with or without the aid of the steering wheel of the vehicle while the rod 96 is drawn upwardly to permit relative sliding movement of the bars 92 and al. The

A springs i2 can be sufliciently strong to mise the seat structure and a desired proportion of the rocker arms in carrying weight from a substanstructure.

tially horizontal position to an upright position are substantiaily compensated. In adjusting the seat structure from raised position to a lower position it is only necessary to actuate the lever 99 and permit the seat t0 assume the desired position under the influence of the weight of the operator where the lever 15 again moved to its normal position to permit automatic locking of the bars 82 and 81, i. e., as soon as the flnger 98 is lowered the pin 9l falls, tosether with the inner ends of the bars 82 and 81, under the influence of gravity into engagement with one of the notches 86. It will be noted that the entire controlling -mechanism is inherent in the movable portions o f'the seat lifting and supporting elements and that stresses or strains imposed upon the rocker arms88 and 65, the link 88, etc., are not imparted to the lockingand controllinzbars 92 and 81 or to'the rod 96 or lever 99 for actuating such bars,. during the movement of the seatin Although only one form of the invention has been shown and described in detaii. it wiil be apparent to those skilled in the artthat the invention is not so limited, but that various changes may be madetherein without departing from the upon the ends of the forward and rearward arms,

respectively, a link connectinz said extensions in 4 substantiel parallelism with a line joining the pivotal connections of the front and rear arms with the trame members, resilient means under predetermined tension connected from oneextension ,to the other and tending to pivot said arms in one direction. the connection of the resilient means to one arm being a greater distance from the pivward rocker in the bearing plate 55 is less otal support of said -one arm than the distance from the resilient connection of the other arm to' the pivotai support of said other arm, sectional locking mechanism havixig 3. portion pivotaily connected to the forwalrd arm and having a portion pivotally connected to the raarward arm at different distances from the pivotal supports of the respective arms, locking means disposed on the respective sectionai portions of said mechanism at a location spaced from the respective pivotai connections of said portions to said arms and selectively engageable with each other to maintain said arms in adjusted selective stationary-positions, and means carried by one of the frame members for manipulating the interiocking means.

2. A seat structure comprising a front rocker arm and rear rocker arm on each side of the seat structure, cushion carrying frame members pivotally supported upon the upper portions of the rocker arms, said arms being arranged in substantiaily parallel relation, means for pivotaiiy supporting the lower portions of the arms, a bar section pivoted upon an intermedialte portion of one rocker arm.and'extending toward the other arm, a second bar section pivoted to said other arm at a distance from the pivotai support of the latter arm greater than the distance of the piv- 'otai connection of first bar section to the pivotai support of the arm upon Which it is mounted, one of the bar sections having a channel, the end portion of the other bar section'having a rack portion slidably disposed in and angulariy movable in the channel. the channeled bar portion having an element adjustbly engageable with therack portion in response to angular movement of the bar sections about their pivotal connections, and means for moving the bar sections into substantiaily aiigned relation to release the element from locked position.

3. A seat structure comprising a cushion supporting trame, forward and rearward arms pivotal in substantiafly paraliel relation to carry the frame members t0 various positions of adjustment, means for pivotily supporting the arms, a locking device having a section pivotaiiy connected to the forward arm at a predetermined distance from the pivots] support of the latter,

said mechanism having a second section pivotaily connected to the rearward arm at a distance from the pivotal support of the latter arm diiferent -from said predetermined distance. said sections engagingv each other at a location spaced from the respective pivotai connections thereof and being movable into angular positions with respect to each other about said connections. means on the engaging sections for limitingrelative angular movement thereof about their pivotal connections. the engaging portions of said sections includinz. interlocking mechanism for locking the portions in substantiaiiy rigid relation in response to movement of said portions into annuler relation in one direction about their pivotal connections, said sections aise including slidably interfltting guide portions, and means for actuating said sections from their angular locked relation to unlocke d relation. whereby the sections are slidable in response to adjusting movement of the arms.

LE GRAND 8. WHEDON.

AIBERI A. GRINNELL. 

